Massillon Museum + Tremont Coffee Co.

The Massillon Museum has been on my radar to visit but for any number of reasons the trip was delayed and delayed again.

In any event, it was an Instagram post announcing the final days of an exhibit in their Studio M Gallery that reminded me of the plan and I found myself driving to MassMu to experience what this “small town museum” (their words) had to offer.

The MUSEUM: Massillon Museum

The museum is easy to get to, conveniently located, and right on a corner diagonal from a rather large and officious looking football mural expanding the entire side of a building.

When I entered the museum the first thing in my sightline was a glass encased gift shop, then a small café (closed, bummer), and then the reception desk. The volunteer on duty looked rather absorbed in something so I greeted him so as not to startle him…and he quickly ran down the list of galleries, asked where I was from, and sent me on my way.

After walking through three galleries, it was pretty clear this is a local history museum with some works of art, not an art museum. Remembering their tag line is ‘where art and history come together’ this absoltely seemed fitting. I considered myself fortunate that one of the exhibits featured many photographs that chronicled the towns’ business history. It seems Massillon has done a lot to preserve their storefronts, which made sightseeing all the more interesting later to be able to compare and contrast.

My meander through the photographs brought me to what i'll call, The Circus Gallery.

My first impression was that it was smaller than I expected; however, it’s exactly what you should expect since you can view all of it on their website. I’ll admit the exhibit was a bit creepy at first, as most circus experiences are, but it became more interesting, and I was more engaged during my second lap around taking a few photographs and searching for some of the hidden stories in the miniature circus display.

From there, through a small doorway, down a ramp, and around a corner, Studio M Gallery is revealed. It’s a decent space for exhibiting a rotating work of local artists and a very welcomed addition and contrast to the rest of the (history) museum. The room is not very wide, more like a bloated hallway, so it doesn’t lend itself to very large works of art but it does facilitate a more intimate if not engulfed experience with the work.

I think Studio M was a smart addition and a great way to represent another common area of interest into the museum; to be a place for everyone, the history buffs, preservation enthusiasts, and creatives. The individuals that operate a local museum bear the burden of being tasked with the expectation to educate, entertain, and serve the community within the areas of local history and art, and also be a suitable place to gather - a school, a museum, and a community center all in one. They are often expected to work these miracles with limited resources, a reduced staff, and a meager budget - no small task. I’m not generally a fan of history museums that masquerade as art museums. Logistically however, and logically, while taking all the above into account, I think it makes sense for a small town to encompass both under one roof, especially since the lines of what is art and what is artifact can be blurry. In my opinion, the Massillon Museum does an impressive job merging the two.

With a pleasant and relaxing museum excursion completed, it was time to find some caffeine. Mostly because it was Sunday evening, the streets were bare, shops closed, and I wasn’t sure if I would find anything open. I’m so glad I did a search and found the Tremont Coffee Co. - nearby and open.

The CAFE: Tremont Coffee Co.

Approaching the coffee shop on foot, I already loved the outside, but I was blown away after walking through the door. This place is massive! The ambiance and architecture - dark wood, brick walls, high ceilings, garage patio doors - leads me to believe it was a brewery in a former life or the owners simply adopted the aesthetic. Either way, It is a great vibe for a coffee shop. With so many local coffee places shuttering in the last couple years, or suffering abbreviated hours due to staff shortages, it was refreshing (relieving?) to see a large coffee shop with ample breathing room and seating!! I love a cozy coffee shop but don’t always enjoy the experience of sitting chair-back to chair-back with my not-always-so-friendly neighborhood stranger.

I ordered an iced, flat white caramel macchiato with almond milk and meandered. The drink was amazing, the atmosphere was chill, their logo- awesome… I was impressed enough to purchase a button.* Also nice - a coffee establishment that has the pleasing aroma of coffee and not the stench of paninis or some other ‘we also serve’ lunch item that hangs in the air and on your clothing for the next four hours. I sipped my drink and decided to sit for about an hour before heading home.

I would recommend a day trip to MassMu and a trek around Massillon. Small town vibes are a literal breath of fresh air and there is a pleasant mix of past and present here all within just a few blocks. I would consider returning to MassMu to attend an opening or special event. I would also like to return to photograph the town, but maybe I’ll check it out on a Saturday next time.

* I love a good logo and will happily advertise for you by way of your awesome stickers, buttons, patches, keychains etc. If you are a local business with a cool logo, make some cool swag, pass it out. Just saying.